Meditation training influences mind wandering and mindless reading.
Anthony P Zanesco, Brandon G King, Katherine A Maclean, Tonya L Jacobs, Stephen R Aichele, B. Alan Wallace, Jonathan Smallwood, Jonathan W. Schooler, Clifford D Saron
Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice March 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1037/cns0000082 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3-month shamatha meditation retreat with 7-year follow-up in first study; 1-month insight meditation retreat in second study |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mind-wandering Reading process Training meteorology Psychotherapist Cognitive psychology Linguistics Cognition |
| Citations | 61 |
| Post-publication review | 1 comment on PubPeer (opens in new tab) · last active September 2016 |
| Key findings | Intensive meditation training is associated with attenuated lapses of attention and less mind wandering during a reading task. |
Abstract
It is challenging for individuals to maintain their attention on ongoing cognitive tasks without being distracted by task-unrelated thought. The wandering mind is thus a considerable obstacle when attention must be maintained over time. Mental training through meditation has been proposed as an effective method of attenuating the ebb and flow of attention to thoughts and feelings that distract from one's foremost present goals. We provide evidence from 2 longitudinal studies that intensive meditation training in focused attention and monitoring meditation is associated with attenuated lapses of attention while reading. Across 2 studies, participants completed a reading task requiring ongoing error monitoring to detect episodes of semantic inconsistency. In a preliminary study, training participants were assessed at the beginning and end of a 3-month shamatha meditation retreat and again 7 years later. In a second study, training and experiencematched control participants were assessed at the beginning and end of a 1-month insight meditation retreat. Across both studies, training participants engaged in less mind wandering and less mindless reading following meditation training. Intensive meditation training may promote reductions in mind wandering among practitioners when required to maintain attention during a complex cognitive task.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- States of Mind: Characterizing the Neural Bases of Focus and Mind-wandering through Dynamic Functional Connectivity Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience October 25, 2016
- ‘I had more time to listen to my inner voice’: Zen meditation tourism for Generation Z Tourist Studies August 4, 2023
- Cognitive Aging and Long-Term Maintenance of Attentional Improvements Following Meditation Training
- Mindful Text Comprehension: Meditation Training Improves Reading Comprehension of Meditation Novices Mindfulness January 30, 2023
- The Impact of Morning Meditation and Sleep Quality on Affective and Health Outcomes in Healthcare Workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health April 9, 2025
and 16 more in the library
Cites 25
- The Brain's Default Mode Network Annual Review of Neuroscience May 4, 2015
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering Psychological Science March 28, 2013
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
and 20 more in the library